Pyrotechnical button.



A. JEDEL.

PYROTEUHNIGAL BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED 001?. 7, 1909.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AARON JEDEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PYROTECHNICAL BUTTON.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON J EDEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Pyrotechnical Button, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in pyrotechnical apparatus, and a special object of my invention is to provide a trick or joke device, which may be secured on the person, and which when ignited, produces a startling or unexpected eflect.

A further object is to provide means for safely and securely holding a pyrotechnical compound, so that it may be worn and ignited while on the person without liability of personal injury.

A further object of my invention is to so conceal the pyrotechnical compound that its presence will not be noticed, but whereby it may be readily ignited by igniting the concealing member.

Other objects and advantages of my device will be set forth more fully hereinafter, and the novel features particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one form of my improved article after the pyrotechnical compound has been 1gnited, said device being secured to an article of wearing apparel; Fig. 2 is a face view of the article before being ignited; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3, but showing the article after the compound has been ignited; and Fig. 5 is a face view of the empty container or casing.

The specific device illustrated, although very simple in form, involves various features of importance, all of which may be embodied in a single construction, or various of these features may be omitted, if desired.

In its preferred form, the device includes a casing or container 10, of non-combustible material, preferably, metal, and so formed as to facilitate its attachment to an article of wearing apparel. The casing is preferably in the form of a button and is made up of separate sheet metal sections secured to- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 7, 1909.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910. Serial No. 521,435.

gether. One of these sections 11 is concave and forms the body portion of the button. At the center of this section there is provided an opening 12, with teeth or prongs 13 along opposite edges thereof adapted to hold the pyrotechincal compound, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out. The second section 14 forms the back portion of the button and is substantially of truncated conical form. The smaller portion of the section comes adjacent the rear surface of the section 10 and lugs or prongs 15 extend through the opening 12 into engagement with the inner surface of the front section, so as to hold the two sections firmly together. The third section 16 constitutes a cover or bottom for the back section 14L and is preferably crimped or seamed thereto. The three sections are thus rigidly and permanently secured together, and the section 14 may be inserted through a buttonhole, so as to hold the article in place, with the front section 10 exposed to View.

WVith the casing or body of the button, there is secured a pyrotechnical compound 17, which when ignited, will produce some novel spectacular or unexpected result. This compound may be one which will produce a shower of small sparks and will give a sudden and harmless flash when ignited, but preferably it is a compound which will produce a Pharaohs serpent and contains sulfocyanid of mercury. This compound is secured in place between the teeth 13 and is preferably incased in a tin-foil wrapper 18, which prevents the compound from being broken or injured during handling or shipment. For concealing the pyrotechnical compound from view, the outer or body portion 11 of the button carries a diaphragm or front plate or cover 19, having its edges secured to the front edges of the button in any suitable manner. This cover or diaphragm is formed of paper treated with a suitable chemical to render it easily combustible. The paper may have printed thereon any desired legend, picture or design, so that to the casual observer the button would appear no different from the common form of button worn on the lapel of a coat. The cover or front face 19 of the button serves not only to conceal the pyrotechnical compound 17 from view, but it also serves when burning as an igniter or fuse for said compound. When it is desired to ignite the compound, it is merely necessary to touch the end of a lighted cigar or cigarette to the front or cover of l the button, and this cover will immediatelyignite and serve to ignite the compound 17. The pyrotechnical compound cannot be readily ignited by a cigar, and even if it could, it might injure the flavor of the latter. The paper cover 19 is easily ignited by a cigar without injuring the latter, and serves to disclose to viewi and ignite the compound concealed within the button.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a button adapted to be secured to an article of wearing apparel and having a sheet metal body section provided with a central aperture, a pyrotechnical compound within said aperture, a plurality of teeth for securing said compound in position, and means for normally concealing the compound from view.

2. In combination, a button adapted to be secured to an article of Wearing apparel and having a sheet metal body section provided with a central aperture, a pyrotechnical compound within said aperture, a plurality of teeth for securing said compound in position, and combustible means for normally concealing the compound from view.

3. In combination, a sheet metal bodyadapted to be secured to an article of wearing apparel and provided with a central aperture, a pyrotechnical compound within said aperture and spaced from the periphery of said body, and means connected to the periphery of said body for normally concealing the compound from view.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AARON J EDEL. Witnesses:

CLAIR W. FAIRBANK, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs. 

